In May, the UK's MI5 disrupted a "sophisticated attack" by Chinese Communist Party (CCP) agents against critical aerospace companies, MI5 head Ken McCallum revealed on Wednesday in an unprecedented joint address by the heads of the UK and US domestic security services.
McCallum and his FBI opposite number Chris Wray gave the address to business and academic leaders in London to sound the alarm on the threat of "Chinese state action" against businesses.
The UK has conducted intelligence sharing with 37 countries over the last 12 months, McCallum confirmed.
He also revealed in his remarks that over 50 students "linked" to the People's Liberation Army, the armed wing of the CCP, have left the country since the UK reformed its Academic Technology Approval Scheme.
The security directors were careful to distinguish between Chinese state actors and positive collaboration with Chinese businesses.
They said that there was no need for businesspeople to make their business a "fortress," but warned that "if you are involved in cutting-edge tech, AI, advanced research or product development, the chances are your know-how is of material interest to the CCP [Chinese Communist Party]."
The remarks, made from Thames House in London's Westminster neighborhood, were a rare public statement by the two highly secretive organizations.
China's Foreign Ministry fired back in a daily press conference on Thursday. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said to reporters in Beijing: "We urge this US official to have the right perspective, see China's developments in an objective and reasonable manner and stop spreading lies and stop making irresponsible remarks," the AP reported.
In the same remarks, Zhao called the United States "the biggest threat to world peace, stability and development."
In November last year, a US court convicted a senior Chinese intelligence officer of espionage of industrial secrets, including of military and aircraft technology.
McCallum seemed to preempt China's public response, saying in his speech: "If my remarks today elicit accusations of Sinophobia, from an authoritarian CCP, I trust you'll see the irony."
